11:59:47 Portzline: It's fine. Snowy in Calgary, but a beautiful city. I've got that stupid Maroon 5 or 6 song stuck in my head after the played it 20 times in Vancouver last night. Except, I'm signing "Moves Like Rimer" instead of "Moves Like Jagger". I think I need a break. Or help.

12:00:14 Rob_(moderator): Sounds like a chat is the perfect remedy ...

12:00:16 We Stink: What is wrong with Umby? He has the fire, but beyond a lack of scoring somthing is not right.

12:02:43 Portzline: Hard to believe he has only seven points after 24 games. He's on pace for a 25-point season, or about a 50-percent drop in his production. Honestly, I remember thinking last night that his acceleration -- 0 to 60 -- was better last night than I remember it being earlier in the season. He's gone through long stretches where he hasn't had scoring chance. Right now, in fact. But he also went through long stretches where he wasn't converting scoring chances. Tough season for Umberger. Tough for Vermette, Brassard, etc. These are the secondary scoring guys, and they haven't produced.

12:02:48 AracesAgenda: Any updates on the "trade for a goaltender" front? I understand Sanford has played well but it seems like it went really quiet almost immediately after Howson told the Season ticket holders he was looking at acquiring one, especially with Dekanich reinjuring himself and it looking like the team had decided it had lost confidence in Mason.

12:05:50 Portzline: Last time I asked Howson about the goalie situation he said they were still looking, but the rest of the league just isn't in a giving mood right now. In the West, 11 clubs are within five points of first place. In the East, 12 are within eight points of first place. That's 23 clubs who aren't rocking the boat right now. That leaves six clubs with whom you could maybe/possibly/hopefully find a match. Tough doing business and making trades. I think it's only natural that Curtis Sanford's play has cooled the desperation. I also think Evgeni Nabokov with the NYI was a fit here before he was hurt. So it goes.

12:05:57 Ryan: How many times this season have we put a ridiculous amount of shots on a backup goaltender, and done nothing but make the backup look like Vezina material? At first I thought it was pure "bad luck", but now am starting to think these guys are not able to put it anywhere but the goalie's logo. Bad luck or lack of talent?

12:06:06 Portzline: By the way, would LOVE to know what Arace's Agenda is! Great name!

12:08:35 Portzline: I thought the 48 shots last night was a false reading. The Blue Jackets didn't play that poorly, in my opinion. If nothing else, they were positionally sound and stuck to the system. But they didn't have nearly the puck hunger the Canucks did. There was never a sense that Vancouver was the club just trying to hang on. To the contrary. You'll recall that a consistent refrain from last season was that the system provided tons of shots and scoring chances, but the club lacked the skill to finish. Well, now two years in, that's starting to sound rather hollow. You are what you are. This is a club that shoots a lot but doesn't score a lot. Odd, I know, but the numbers are the numbers.

12:08:42 jackets4life: Do you see Howson being our GM at the trade deadline?

12:11:27 Portzline: If you put a Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss in front of me -- chilled, such that shards of ice were running down its glistening side -- and forced me to answer that question in order to taste that golden, chilled perfection ... I would say "yes"

12:11:56 Rob_(moderator): It's 5 o'clock somewhere.

12:11:57 abluejacketscott: hello ap with the jackets playing better do you think arnie is comfortable enough to put mason back in net ? im kinda nervous about it .

12:13:41 Portzline: I expect Mason to play either Thursday in Calgary or Friday in Edmonton. Sanford is going to need a break at some point. I'll be very interested to see if the Blue Jackets can adhere to the way they've played lately (much more sound defensively) with Mason behind them.

12:13:48 runandgun: I feel like the passion has waned the last few games. Agree or disagree? Start of a new trend or a blip in the road?

12:15:53 Portzline: No, I'm with you. They were OK last night for long stretches, certainly better than their early-season play. But there was no "oomph" coming from too many guys. I thought Nash was real good. Dorsett, too. But a quiet night for too many guys. You watch Kesler skate to the bench, grab a stick and come into the zone with his beaver tail high screaming for the puck. You watch him throw every ounce of everything he's got into that one-timer and bury it under the crossbar. And you realize the Blue Jackets do NOT have that on their roster.

12:15:58 Ryan: If the team lost confidence in Mason, and Mason lost confidence in his team - is that even fixable?

12:17:35 Portzline: That's a very good question. I think it's fair to say that the lack of confidence is a mutual. I don't know if it can be fixed, to be honest. Maybe we'll find out the rest of the way.

12:17:40 AracesAgenda: Is a trade or an injury the only thing that is going to get Brassard back in the lineup regularly again?

12:21:01 Portzline: This is a troubling situation. Yet another high-end, No. 1 pick seems to be drifting away from the organization. Mark Letestu, who was likely to be waived by Pittsburgh a couple of weeks back, has taken over the No. 2 line center spot. Jeff Carter and Ryan Johansen have joined the top six. That three guys who were not here last season. Brassard is on the outs. He played more last night, but he's out of place on the No. 4 line. You'll recall that Arniel was hired to bring all of the organization's young players to a new level. Mason, Brassard, Voracek (since traded), Russell (since traded) ... Certainly the players hold the blame, or at least share a significant part of it. But this has been a big problem for the franchise.

12:21:10 Portzline: OH, and Filatov.

12:21:10 jackets4life: Any new info on realignment?

12:23:08 Portzline: It's beginning to take shape, if you believe the whispers coming from executives around the league. The question of who moves East -- Detroit or Columbus -- seems undecided, but how the league will break down is beginning to find its form. I'm still reporting on it and hope to write a piece for Sunday's paper. The Dispatch will be in Pebble Beach, Calif., to cover the Board of Governor's meetings. This is a big day for the franchise.

12:23:14 porterfm: I have notice that in the 11 years and all the coaches we have had why is it that we always just let the other team walk right in with the puck? In our zone Then when we are either on the PP or a Full strength we always met at the blue line with resistence. R we just that bad at defending that we need to just let them walk in.

12:26:48 Portzline: I'm not sure I see it that way. Poor defensive play has been a hallmark of this organization, though. They've gone from big and firm, to small and speedy, back to large and stiff again. Not sure who they are, what the identity is. But that can be said for the entire roster. Now in the 11th season ... what is the identity of this club. What are they trying to be? How do they win games in the perfect scenario? Only two teams had identities for this franchise. Year 1: pesky, hard-skating and scrappy, with pretty good goaltending play from President Tugnutt. Year 8: Heavy D and the boys, strong defensive play and great goaltending by a rookie thriving in a goalie-friendly system.

12:27:19 Reggie Dunlop: If we remain in the Western Conference, do you see changes upcoming to our style of play to better utilize the team skill set?

12:30:58 Portzline: I see changes in style coming, but not having anything to do with the conference in which they play. The Blue Jackets thought they were a skill team, but scrapped that plan after the disastrous start. Now they're clogging up the middle. That's not why Scott Arniel was hired as coach. That's not why they pushed the cap figure up to $64 million this summer. They "went for it" and fancied themselves a "skill team". Now what? Here's the other part: When a club has a payroll among the top 5-6 in the league, it should not be chasing the play against any team in any rink. It should be exerting its will and hanging with the big dogs in the league. To be near the top in salary and at the bottom in the standings, is the stuff of nightmares.

12:31:07 Ryan: What's your take on the Boudreau firing in Washington? Ovi is catching a lot of heat for it, but any team with such a poor record would surely look for a new coach (well, almost any team).

12:34:17 Portzline: Well, obviously Bruce Boudreau knows how to coach. He's won award to the end through the years. He didn't forget overnight. This is part of the messiness of big-time sports. It doesn't matter if you know what you're doing, it matters if what you're doing is working. Clearly, the Caps are a better club than 12-10-1. Something had to give. The hiring of Dale Hunter seems risky, as he's never coached at the NHL level. But he was obviously a dynamic, multi-faceted player. The talent is there with the team. The passion is there with the coach. We'll see if it works.

12:34:24 Howsen's Hot Seat: AP - Why are you Tweeting during the chat? Don't we deserve your full attention?

12:35:11 Portzline: One tweet. There was a lull, and it was a quick question. Too much coffee this morning. I'm also texting as I respond this question. I'm multi-platform obnoxious.

12:35:19 kdos: any news on the hiring of a person to fill the hockey advisor role?

12:35:51 Portzline: Nope.

12:35:55 AracesAgenda: Would the team part with Boll, Bass or Dorsett? Seems like all three play a similar role here.

12:36:53 Portzline: Yeah, sure they would. Not sure they'd be too excited to unload Boll or Dorsett, but if the deal was right. Bass has come in and out of the lineup. I like the player a lot, but he's certainly not seen by the club as untouchable. He was put through waivers a week or so ago, right?

12:36:58 Sir Joe Bann: What's the latest on Martinek?

12:37:40 Portzline: Still concussed, not skating yet (to my knowledge) and not traveling with the club. Told this one was not as bad as the concussion he suffered in the spring, but he's still in a tough way. Feeling better, but not quite whole yet.

12:37:47 Howsen's Hot Seat: Does it make your job harder when the team you are covering is this bad?

12:40:14 Portzline: Not really. Sometimes I feel like I'm writing the same stories over and over again, but there's always something unique that pops up and deserves a story. I covered the Clippers one year when they started 0-11 and went 70-some innings without having a lead. That was baseball. That was brutal. Stump Merrill and I clashed a few times, just because he was frustrated. I get it. That prepared me for this in a way.

12:40:23 kdos: Think there is any chance move on to Bruce Boudreau?

12:41:00 Portzline: If they decided to let Arniel go, he would be an option. But no indication anybody is thinking that way.

12:41:06 Ryan: Do you think Juice will make it into the lineup during this trip?

12:42:04 Portzline: I do, yes. He was suggesting Montreal as a target date, but Arniel joked yesterday that he was planning to take Huselius to lunch and convince him to return earlier. We'll see. Other than him playing on Thursday vs. Calgary, nothing would surprise me. He's definitely close to being ready.

12:42:17 Zimmy: Do the Blue Jackets really want to be in a different conference than Detroit? Aren't the Red Wings games one of the biggest in terms of out-of-town fans coming to Nationwide Arena?

12:44:40 Portzline: Yes the Red Wings are a big draw, although those crowds have faded in recent seasons. Not sure why Wings fans have drifted away, but Joe Louis Arena is only 70 percent full on some nights. Boredom, perhaps. From the Blue Jackets perspective, moving East would be trading Detroit crowds for crowds from Buffalo and Pittsburgh, and Toronto. They'd make that trade in a minute, I would think. Here's another idea: if the Blue Jackets became an exciting, winning club, they could sell out the house on their own accord. They wouldn't need to rely on the opponent to fill the place, or take part in Zamboni rides.

12:44:49 AracesAgenda: These teams that have fired coaches have seemed to act very proactively (before it became too big of a problem to overcome this season) Leaving the CBJ again looking like they remain behind the rest of the league, philosphically, at least a year or two. What do you think remains this organization's biggest flaw?

12:47:19 Portzline: A lack of hockey expertise at the top. Those guys at the top set the agenda and the level of expectation. Columbus has been sorely lacking in high-end, proven NHL executives -- not one of them, but three, four, five of them, like other organizations -- since Day 1 of the franchise. You think Philly players want to face Paul Holmgren or Bobby Clarke during a five-game losing streak? Look West a big. There's St. Louis with John Davidson, Doug Armstrong, Larry Pleau, Al MacInnis, now Ken Hitchcock. All guys who have done it before. Big difference.

12:47:26 boomjacket: Porty, how do you think Johansen in progressing? He doesn't seem as dominant as other rookies and isn't going to receive any Calder attention. Does your trained hockey eye see him as a dominant player soon?

12:49:54 Portzline: I like what I see from him a lot lately. It's too bad he doesn't play on a more dynamic line or you might see more points. I asked him about playing the wing as opposed to playing center, and he noted that the options with the puck are much less on the wing. He always felt, he said, as if he had 5-6 options coming down the middle of the ice. So he's getting used to that, although I have to wonder ... if the season continues like this, what's to be gained by keeping him out of his natural spot. One thing I've noticed is that he's got a better understanding of leverage and positioning along the wall than he did early in the season. He's a big guy, with a hulking frame, but he still has to fill out his paws, so to speak. So far, he's one of the franchise's bright spots.

12:50:00 pd: speaking of Boller & Dorsett , I am sure that mgt has noticed the effort put forth nightly by our guys on the low side of the pay scale. If our so called "skilled players" would work up a sweat similar to the other guys, I would believe that we would have a few more points this year. Your thoughts?

12:51:54 Portzline: Sure. Can't disagree. Might be a bit simplistic, though. Vinny Prospal is a skilled player and he's fared well. I'm a huge Derek MacKenzie fan. I'd want him as the fourth-line center on any team I coached.

12:51:58 Ryan: Which player do we miss the most: Raffi Torres, Manny Malhotra or Jason Chimera?

12:53:29 Portzline: That's a difficult one. Probably Jason Chimera. He's having a very good year with the Capitals, one of the few players they can say that about in our nation's capital. Chimera was a bit of a loose cannon in the dressing room sometimes, but his heart was always in the right place. There's something to be said for that.

12:53:35 TheUnknownFan: Did Mason reject a rehab assignment in Springfield because he feels he is "ready"?

12:53:59 Portzline: I have not heard that, no. He's only been out a week and he's been practicing hard with the club during most of that time.

12:54:09 nerd!: How come Commodore is good enough to play for the Wings but he was not good enough for our roster?

12:57:03 Portzline: He's played three games with the Wings, averaging 10 minutes. Said it before, that situation was handled poorly by all parties involved. The player and the coach clashed and couldn't get past their differences, even though Commodore was clearly one of the top six defensemen in the organization last season. The GM could have moved him in training camp, and in fact was urged to so by many in his hockey ops dept. for Sheldon Souray. Instead, Commodore is on the books for the next four seasons. Souray, meanwhile, has played very well in Dallas. In hindsight, that situation was poorly played.

12:57:11 tcm1968: What's the plan moving forward with our D. Wiz, Tyutin and Nikitn are having to play so many minutes because it seems Arniel doesn't trusy Grant and John with key minutes. Can our top 3 keep playing like that? Doesn't seem possible.

12:58:54 Portzline: Nikitin was minus-4 last night, his first hiccup since joining the Blue Jackets. Wisniewski was expected to log heavy minutes, as was Tyutin. Arniel has tended to shorten his bench in the third period, especially with young players. Clitsome has not been as sharp or quick as he was last season. Methot has been OK. Said it before: the top pair here would be the second pair on most good clubs; the second pair would be the third and so on.

12:58:59 jackets4life: If the Jackets do hire an advisor would they go after a big name? After seeing what a press conference did for a lousy OSU season would a Messier or Hextall excite this city quickly?

13:01:01 Portzline: It would take a PR genius at this point to excited the Blue Jackets' fan base with a press conference. Fans here have heard it all before, including this last summer with Wisniewski and Carter. Nothing will excite the fan base more than long, sustained, exciting, passionate hockey. That's what the NHL is supposed to be.

13:01:10 Rob_(moderator): Last one ...

13:01:11 TheUnknownFan: Do you think Howson realizes that this team plays better in front of any goaltender not named Steve Mason or do you think Howson is still convinced that he is the answer in goal?

13:03:07 Portzline: From talking with him almost daily, he recognizes the situation and is as mystified as most everybody else around the league. Scott Howson is a smart man. Don't ever doubt that. He's a very smart guy, a good hockey guy, who cares deeply about winning. Nobody is more frustrated/disappointed/befuddled by this group than is he.

13:03:14 Rob_(moderator): Thanks, everyone. We'll do it again next week. That's a wrap.